IT consulting firms can be useful to small and medium-sized businesses in a number of different ways. Many business owners and managers generally think of such firms primarily as providers of advice, but in fact, IT consulting firms can be contracted to take over entire projects. This is known as project work, and it is a powerful tool that businesses can use to accomplish necessary objectives that are not necessarily within their usual range of competencies.

Constructing a privacy policy for website visitors to consult is one example of a task that is ideally suited for project work. Most businesses do not include online privacy concerns among their core competencies. Indeed, they may have little knowledge about the requirements of state and federal laws in this regard. If in-house staff are directed to draft a privacy policy for the company, they will have to devote a great deal of time merely getting up to speed on the issues involved.

Contracting with an IT company is a better solution. An IT consulting firm can provide a qualified team of professionals who have experience in the realm of privacy policies. They will be cognizant of applicable state and federal laws and will already be familiar with the kinds of provisions that are generally included in such policies. In addition, they will understand the IT implications of such provisions.

Writing or revising a company's online privacy policy is just one example of a task that could benefit from the project work approach.